People who do not like traditional Catholicism

[elts1956]

How about bowing the head at the Name of Jesus?

I’m 53 and Catholic school raised. I remember Sr. Mary Mildred in the 1st grade teaching us to bow our heads when we heard the Name of Jesus. We actually practiced – Sister would read a list of “j” words and every few words she would say the Name “Jesus.” In one sense, it was like a game; but we learned, and I still do it to this day.

My friend, come down to Catholic New Orleans. I’m not 72, I’m 56 and I can guarantee you that if you ride public transportation with me you will find Catholics who make the sign of the cross passing in front of the Holy Eucharist inside that Catholic Church. No it is not an automatic thing nor is it restricted to the “elderly” nor, more importantly, is it looked at askance.

I took the bus in high school and college almost 40 years ago. Want me to tell you which churches I passed on my way home? Our Lady of Guadalupe, St. Joseph’s, St. Christopher’s. Automatic robotic, indeed.

Dear Brotherhoff. I suppose I could figure this out myself, but since you live in Catholic New Orleans, can you tell me why it is your area is traditionally Catholic and other areas aren’t? Settled by Catholic French, Acadians??? What other areas in Louisiana are predominantly Catholic? I should live in such an area, sigh… Nope, I live in rural Illinois which seems to be predominantly wasp. Thanks.

 

[I_Believe]

Hilarious, I have a friend who uses the same phrase to exclaim surprise or disgust. I’ve always wondered if that broke the second comandment.

I’m not sure if it’s a sin unless it is said in anger, and followed by a scolding of someone.

But used as a short prayer, it used to be called an ejaculation.
These and others are indulgenced prayers…

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, I give you my heart and soul !

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, assist me in my last agony.

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, save souls !
… and others, gained an Indulgence of 300 days, each time said.

• Pius VII, Aug,26, 1814.

One of my personal ones is … Sweet Jesus, have mercy on me, Mary, pray for me, St. Joseph, pray for the little ones.

 

[elts1956]

I’m not sure if it’s a sin unless it is said in anger, and followed by a scolding of someone.

But used as a short prayer, it used to be called an ejaculation.
These and others are indulgenced prayers…

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, I give you my heart and soul !

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, assist me in my last agony.

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, save souls !
… and others, gained an Indulgence of 300 days, each time said.

• Pius VII, Aug,26, 1814.

One of my personal ones is … Sweet Jesus, have mercy on me, Mary, pray for me, St. Joseph, pray for the little ones.

Not to make fun of or cause more consternation than I already have on this forum, “Jesus, Mary and Joseph and a donkey” is still an ejaculation. Said with humour or in desparation it could be a venial sin, maybe a teeny, tiny one? It is still funny, no matter what.

Isn’t there also something about even saying things like My Goodness! is frowned upon as the word goodness is an extention the word God? We could go on and on and it would never end.

 

[AJV]

Well, I guess it’s another “sensitive” Catholic who is picking apart my post. It was said in some jest and in some sarcasm. I apologize for that. But I still think Jesus would accept a nod in place of a waist down bow.

The bow is of the head, not from the waist. You just bend your neck briefly to look at your feet. The older tradition was also to uncover. I’ve read somewhere that when the Society of Jesus was first founded, some curialists and prelates hated it, because they always had to uncover when criticizing them.

 

[brotherhrolf]

Dear Brotherhoff. I suppose I could figure this out myself, but since you live in Catholic New Orleans, can you tell me why it is your area is traditionally Catholic and other areas aren’t? Settled by Catholic French, Acadians??? What other areas in Louisiana are predominantly Catholic? I should live in such an area, sigh… Nope, I live in rural Illinois which seems to be predominantly wasp. Thanks.

Well, first thing that comes to mind is that we don’t have counties here - we have parishes…and some of them have Catholic names…St. Charles, St. John the Baptist, Ascencion, Assumption, St. Bernard, etc. And, I’d go as far as to say that the Catholic influence extends on the Gulf Coast over towards Pensacola, Florida.

The French came to Mobile Bay, Alabama first. The Spanish were in Pensacola and Florida so the French had to expand west. The French established an outpost in northwest Louisiana, Natchitoches, because the Spanish were also in Texas. Natchitoches (which is a Choctaw word) was established before New Orleans. NO was established in 1718.

The Germans are the “stealth culture” here in Louisiana. Germans were brought into NO and settled upriver in 1720 in the Cote des Allemands (German Coast). The Acadians came as well as Canary Islanders and the Spanish, etc., etc. etc…

When Jefferson bought Louisiana in 1803, he bought an essentially Catholic colony. Bottom line:

I grew up in New Orleans - the New Orleans you don’t see on TV. What you see on TV is the tourists not native New Orleanians (pet peeve of mine). South Louisiana was settled from New Orleans. The Acadians initially came into NO and were first established upriver from NO and then moved across the Atchafalaya Basin to southwest Louisiana. German Catholics have been here since the very beginning. We Irish came before the famine - and then we came in large numbers. Italians and Sicilians came - Catholics too. Filipinos - oh yeah, in the nineteenth century. Cubans! Melted right in…(New Orleans and Habana were always connected). And today, the Vietnamese - an oriental culture which understands being French .

South Louisiana is Catholic - for the most part. We live in one of the Florida parishes - i.e. my neck of the woods was once West Florida. The Spanish allowed Anglo-Saxon Protestant settlers - there is no Catholic church in my town although “Deo gratias ite Deo gratias”…the diocese has bought acreage just to the northeast of my home for a new parish! The first since '76 --------all my fellow Y’ats from Da City who decided to stay up here

 

[elts1956]

The bow is of the head, not from the waist. You just bend your neck briefly to look at your feet. The older tradition was also to uncover. I’ve read somewhere that when the Society of Jesus was first founded, some curialists and prelates hated it, because they always had to uncover when criticizing them.

Not to be impertinent, but when driving a car, I find the actual “bow” hard to accomplish. When a passenger in a car, I find myself “furtively” giving more of a bow. Shame on me. Will have to begin dropping something so I can pick it up from the floor, I guess. There I go again, trying to be funny which many see as sarcasm. Sorry. Mea Culpa, really.

 

[Deacon_Ed_B]

Whats wrong with making the Sign of the Cross and being proud to show you are Catholic.
Prayers & blessings
Deacon Ed B

 

[EasterJoy]

Whats wrong with making the Sign of the Cross and being proud to show you are Catholic.
Prayers & blessings
Deacon Ed B

I’d prefer to think of it as being “pleased” to show I’m Catholic. That’s not to say I’m never proud of it, but the attitude betrays a sort of a misguided self-congratulation over the idea that finding myself in this blessed state has much to do with me!

As to not being quick to show it, there is always the uneasy feeling to contend with: that of all the Church’s children, I’m not much of a specimen to look at.

 

[elts1956]

The bow is of the head, not from the waist. You just bend your neck briefly to look at your feet. The older tradition was also to uncover. I’ve read somewhere that when the Society of Jesus was first founded, some curialists and prelates hated it, because they always had to uncover when criticizing them.

Well, first thing that comes to mind is that we don’t have counties here - we have parishes…and some of them have Catholic names…St. Charles, St. John the Baptist, Ascencion, Assumption, St. Bernard, etc. And, I’d go as far as to say that the Catholic influence extends on the Gulf Coast over towards Pensacola, Florida.

The French came to Mobile Bay, Alabama first. The Spanish were in Pensacola and Florida so the French had to expand west. The French established an outpost in northwest Louisiana, Natchitoches, because the Spanish were also in Texas. Natchitoches (which is a Choctaw word) was established before New Orleans. NO was established in 1718.

The Germans are the “stealth culture” here in Louisiana. Germans were brought into NO and settled upriver in 1720 in the Cote des Allemands (German Coast). The Acadians came as well as Canary Islanders and the Spanish, etc., etc. etc…

When Jefferson bought Louisiana in 1803, he bought an essentially Catholic colony. Bottom line:

I grew up in New Orleans - the New Orleans you don’t see on TV. What you see on TV is the tourists not native New Orleanians (pet peeve of mine). South Louisiana was settled from New Orleans. The Acadians initially came into NO and were first established upriver from NO and then moved across the Atchafalaya Basin to southwest Louisiana. German Catholics have been here since the very beginning. We Irish came before the famine - and then we came in large numbers. Italians and Sicilians came - Catholics too. Filipinos - oh yeah, in the nineteenth century. Cubans! Melted right in…(New Orleans and Habana were always connected). And today, the Vietnamese - an oriental culture which understands being French .

South Louisiana is Catholic - for the most part. We live in one of the Florida parishes - i.e. my neck of the woods was once West Florida. The Spanish allowed Anglo-Saxon Protestant settlers - there is no Catholic church in my town although “Deo gratias ite Deo gratias”…the diocese has bought acreage just to the northeast of my home for a new parish! The first since '76 --------all my fellow Y’ats from Da City who decided to stay up here

Y"ats? Sorry I can’t transcribe that, as I don’t know Suthren lingo. Many thanks for your explanation of history. I have been to Nawlens itself only once and wasn’t there long enough to pick up the flavour of the city. Wish I could have stayed longer. Again, I envy your living in a Catholic area. I have not experienced a totally Catholic atmosphere since attending, for a time, an all Girls Catholic College in St. Louis. Even St. Louis, although founded by the French, is such a melting pot of nationalities, much of the history is lost, or misunderstood.

You said you descend from Acadians? Did I understand that correctly? And you ae Irish? Weren’t Acadians French? Not much knowledge of history there either. Why did the British round up the people of Acadia and ship them to New Orleans and surrounds? I have one book on the subject, but still haven’t read it. Get side lined with mysteries and historical fiction. Many thanks.

 

[LilyM]

I’d prefer to think of it as being “pleased” to show I’m Catholic. That’s not to say I’m never proud of it, but the attitude betrays a sort of a misguided self-congratulation over the idea that finding myself in this blessed state has much to do with me!

Pride isn’t necessarily self-congratulatory at all. I can be proud of my parents’ achievements without being self-congratulatory, since I appreciate what they’ve done for its own sake and theirs, without being under the illusion that I contributed much if anything to any of it.

Same with the Church - I’m proud of what IT has achieved through its Popes, Bishops and Saints under the guidance of the HS. How is this self-congratulation? I’m not a Pope or Bishop, neither would I be so prideful as to call myself a saint.

 

[EasterJoy]

Pride isn’t necessarily self-congratulatory at all. I can be proud of my parents’ achievements without being self-congratulatory, since I appreciate what they’ve done for its own sake and theirs, without being under the illusion that I contributed much if anything to any of it.

Same with the Church - I’m proud of what IT has achieved through its Popes, Bishops and Saints under the guidance of the HS. How is this self-congratulation? I’m not a Pope or Bishop, neither would I be so prideful as to call myself a saint.

I know. That’s why I used the quotes. To say you’re proud to be Catholic can mean very different things, and I realize that the words don’t ring the same to everyone else that they do to me.

 

[elts1956]

Whats wrong with making the Sign of the Cross and being proud to show you are Catholic.
Prayers & blessings
Deacon Ed B

Nothing wrong with it Deac. I am going to have to work on it. To me, personally, and don’t take this as directed toward you, or anyone else, I feel like I am showing off? I haven’t figured out exaclty why I feel uncomfortable doing more of an overt action yet.

 

[ethelzguy]

Nothing wrong with it Deac. I am going to have to work on it. To me, personally, and don’t take this as directed toward you, or anyone else, I feel like I am showing off? I haven’t figured out exaclty why I feel uncomfortable doing more of an overt action yet.

I had a similar, but different situation with my grandson and his violin. He does a wonderful job at his high school orchestra. First Chair.

He does great at concerts. But, getting him to play at Mass was like pulling teeth, because he saw it as ‘showing off’

TBL

 

[elts1956]

I had a similar, but different situation with my grandson and his violin. He does a wonderful job at his high school orchestra. First Chair.

He does great at concerts. But, getting him to play at Mass was like pulling teeth, because he saw it as ‘showing off’

TBL

Maybe it’s a self esteem thing??? Haven’t found the answer yet.

 

[Deacon_Ed_B]

Haven’t found an answer or reason = Pray about it. (The following is absolutely no reflection on anyone or anyone’s feelings) My pride in my faith is certainly not based on anything I have done. but on what Jesus has done for me , for us. My pride is in the Church I belong to. i.e., the only one established by Jesus. There is a line in the book used for the Rite of Baptism which goes like this. (It is used after the renunciation of sin and the profession of faith.“This is our faith. This is the faith of the Church. We are proud to profess it, in Christ Jesus our Lord.” I get choked up every time I say it when doing a baptism.
Prayers & blessings
Deacon Ed B

 

[elts1956]

Haven’t found an answer or reason = Pray about it. (The following is absolutely no reflection on anyone or anyone’s feelings) My pride in my faith is certainly not based on anything I have done. but on what Jesus has done for me , for us. My pride is in the Church I belong to. i.e., the **only one **established by Jesus.
Prayers & blessings
Deacon Ed B

Okay, I will start with the Sign of the Cross (in my car). I’m serious. :yup:

 

[Servulus]

Perhaps this is putting too fine a point on the topic (especially without having read each of the 492 previous posts), but perhaps the “Pride/Showing Off” issue may be situational.

For example, an actor/TV host in the Midwest has declined to be a lector in his parish (even though he clearly has the requisite capabilities) because he wishes to avoid the temptation to Pride for himself and to avoid distraction or even the appearance of “showing off” to those attending Mass. Yet, while traveling, this individual has often stepped in to read at Masses in churches where he is not known. He says it’s a way of giving part of his talent back to its Author without the detriments mentioned above.

Hope that helps.

 

[Deacon_Ed_B]

There is a line in the book used for the Rite of Baptism which goes like this. (It is used after the renunciation of sin and the profession of faith.“This is our faith. This is the faith of the Church. We are proud to profess it, in Christ Jesus our Lord.” I get choked up every time I say it when doing a baptism.
Prayers & blessings
Deacon Ed B

 

[japhy]

Okay, I will start with the Sign of the Cross (in my car). I’m serious. :yup:

It takes a while. It took me a very long time to feel comfortable saying a blessing over a meal in public (in restaurants and fast-food joints), and even longer to actually make the sign of the cross afterwards. I felt like I’d be drawing attention to myself. But honestly, if any attention was drawn to me (and not to Jesus Christ) I could redirect to him and his Church if the person who noticed asked a question or made a comment.

 

[GemmaRose]

…There is a line in the book used for the Rite of Baptism which goes like this. (It is used after the renunciation of sin and the profession of faith.“This is our faith. This is the faith of the Church. We are proud to profess it, in Christ Jesus our Lord.” I get choked up every time I say it when doing a baptism.
Prayers & blessings
Deacon Ed B

I get choked up every time I hear it. :yup: